Many homes, parks, and commercial developments throughout the United States lack municipal sewer services due to their remote locations, or owner preference. Instead, such locations utilize on-site waste and septic tank systems for their sewage disposal needs. Septic tanks include at least one entry port to accept sewage waste from a nearby home or commercial structure, and at least one effluent port. The septic tank typically holds an upper scum layer, an intermediate liquid effluent layer called the clear zone, and a lower sludge layer. Grease, fats, oils, and floatables are typically found in the scum layer. The sludge layer is where most of the solid waste products collect and biologically decompose, with the effluent being discharged into a leach field. However, solid debris can impair normal operation, leading to the use of filters to block them.
While some septic tank filters may keep plastics, gloves, syringes, feminine products and nonflushable items from entering, clogging, and disabling sewage pump systems, they can ultimately cause more problems. Using a cartridge-type effluent filter can cause an above-normal rise in the static water level in the septic tank, especially when they are ready for cleaning. Cartridge-type effluent filters inserted in the tank outlet T baffle will capture these items until the cartridge is pulled out for cleaning, at which point, these items will rise up the outlet T-baffle with the cartridge and pass into the pump chamber with potentially disastrous results. There is no way to stop these items from surging into the pump chamber or leach field from an over-full septic tank. Just one plastic item or syringe can ruin a sewage ejector pump.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
What is needed are filter and aerator devices, systems, and methods to prevent degradation and damage from solid debris such as syringes, and enhance decomposition, respectively, in septic systems.